Healing Natalie
by maybeilltrustu
Summary: "Natalie." The name reached her before the voice did, and she realized it was her own. Then, the voice. "Father," She gasped, then moaned in fear... Natalie got away. She got far away. Now why do these people want to take her back?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own yu yu hakusho or any of it's characters.

* * *

A breath of fresh air,

A wish,

A wish,

As I sit on the front porch,

Alone.

The air it surrounds me as the background music soars,

Telling me,

"Welcome home."

It had been hours since my arrival and my body felt numb with bliss. Finally having escaped, HIM, I could breathe. I was happy.

I couldn't remember the last time that I was really me, or happy. I had lost myself amongst all of the commotion and pain that stupid man caused. He would sit there, screaming, as I buried my face into the crook of my pale arm. Constant pain and shame unimaginable. People called me pitiful, and friends became shadows just breaking the skin of my constant wall. I wished for an escape, found methods I wish that I hadn't, then found what had to happen. I turned to my mother,

"Let's go," I whispered. So we left, fleeing to some rural place, inhabitants: Our family. Perfect.

____________________________________________________________________________________

My Clothes felt like feathers as all of my nerves were shot, and my eyes sagged with the weight of the world. The thing was, the weight of the world was not my issue to solve. That was my next trial. Figuring out what was.

I brushed a few stray strands of hair from my face as the wind picked up and caught a leaf floating before me. That was strange to me, because it wasn't fall, but why would you look a gift horse in the face?

I placed the leaf behind my ear with one pale finger and stood up, entering into the house where music met me with joy.

A party engulfed me inside the house's light atmosphere, and a smile broke my tender lips.

"Oh, Natalie!" A voice called in pure elation, "To see you smile is such a rare occurrence! I feel blessed."

I recognized the voice instantly and fell into a warm embrace.

"Mom," I whispered as I kissed her cheek warmly. "I am so happy here."

She kissed me back and then pushed me into the now forming crowd.

"As am I!" She cheered and held her hands into the air. Someone handed her a drink and she called, "Let there be a toast, to my daughter, Natalie. This for escaping her father, James, and finally beginning to heal."

"Heal," I whispered then grabbed the drink. "For me? You shouldn't have." I took a swig then choked. The crowd laughed.

"Vodka, my dear," Mom whispered, then I laughed with the rest and the best. Celebrating a choice finally made.

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So what do you think so far? Review please! It would mean so much to me! Poem and story original, Kurama comes in soon!

Description of Natalie: 5"4, brown hair, blue eyes, plain-Jane look.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's Characters.**

Hush,

Hush,

Silent whispers in my silent dreams,

Take my hands and dance with me,

Make me live,

Fill me with lust.

Make me see,

Make me Trust.

I slept in the purple room that night, falling asleep wrapped in a flowered sheet that used to be my grandmother's. It smelled sweet like lavender, and slowly dying candles. I could feel her near me, wishing sweet peace unto my life. Sighing softly into the sheets, Dreams consumed me.

I was running. Running to no one knows where. Just running. And the thing was, I didn't care. I could feel hot breath on my neck and pain on the steel tips of a whip. I was HER again, a useless creature under my father's control. I could feel every fiber of me screaming, telling me to wake up, but I could hardly listen to reason. He was so close, almost touching me. His hands I feared gripped that whip, the one he used to drive into the rear of the horses. If it was to touch me…

"Child, wake up," A voice broke into my nightmarish state. I gasped slightly, then opened my eyes. My aunt leaned over me.

"Nat, you were screaming," She whispered, grabbing hold of my shaking hand. Her eyes were wide, much like my mother's got when the fights went on.

"Oh," I sighed. "So sorry. I think I was, Having a nightmare." She shook her head.

"Well Natalie, my innocent love. If you need me, I'm here," She declared then kissed my face. I smiled at her then turned my back away, covering newly formed tears with light-skinned eyelids.

"No," I whispered when I heard the door close. "I don't need anyone."

* * *

The next morning came relentlessly, lighting the purple room ablaze with shades of the color I didn't know were possible.

"Damn," I sighed and pulled myself from the warm, comfortable, bed. The air in the room was soft, and my body loved the atmosphere. It was so different from my past. I inhaled the peace and tasted it so sweet on my tongue.

"Natalie!" A voice interrupted my thoughts. I smiled at my mom's wonderful sing-song voice.

"Coming!" I called downstairs to her. Quickly I dressed myself, pulling on a pair of sweat pants and a grey shirt. This was truly my outfit of choice, and I felt most comfortable in it.

I ran down the stairs, oblivious to the rose petals flowing out of my hair until I touched the floor. Then I caught the sweet scent.

"Oh, My," I gasped as I stared at the many petals littering the stairs. "How'd that happen?" My question was not answered but instead forgotten as another scent wafted to my little nose.

"Bacon!" I exclaimed, then dashed to the kitchen.

I shoveled down the huge breakfast then was shooed outside to the garden.

"Water those plants!" My mother commanded and I obeyed with a huge grin. Oh how I loved the outside air, especially in this wide open place. Just rolling hills of forests, brimming with life.

Then there was the garden. The most beautiful place I had ever seen. Tall, beautiful, foreign plants reaching towards the sky. My Mother and her sisters had planted it when they were young, and since then it had continued to grow. It had to be almost twenty years old, and ach plant had a story.

"So who are you?" I asked a tiny sprout just beginning life near the edge of the garden. Of course it didn't answer but I talked to it all the same.

"I'm Natalie," I said proudly. "Natalie Taint." Then I giggled. "Yes young sprout, Taint," I sighed. "It's a fitting name."

"No, It's not," A voice answered me. My first reaction was to stare at the plant. Was I going crazy? Then a hand slid to the small of my back. Instantly I stood up from my crouched position.

"Um," I whispered, daring to turn around to face my visitor. The first thing I saw was a shapely hand, followed by a shapely arm, then a shapely body-

"Oh, My," I gasped. The Man in front of me laughed.

"Hello, Natalie Taint," He said in a wonderful voice that made my heart melt into my stomach. "I am Youko Kurama, It is so nice to meet you." His gold eyes danced across my face then he bowed. I couldn't speak. I just simply stared, taking in his ears, cute little things that looked like fox ears, atop his head. Then his, Tails? What was going on? Was I dreaming again? I reached a shaking hand up to my mouth then bit it. Ok, Ow, that hurt. I obviously wasn't dreaming.

"Oh, My, Um, I , gotta go," I stammered, pulling myself from his gaze and through the garden. I wasn't headed in any general direction, just simply AWAY.

"I wouldn't do that onna," A voice came from in front of me. A man, not much taller than myself, landed just a few feet away. His hair was TALL, so much taller then I had ever seen anybody else's, and power seemed to radiate off of him.

"We need you."

Instantly I turned around, running back to the fox, he seemed just a _bit _nicer.

"That's true, Natalie," The fox said matter-o-factish. "We do."

Then everything went black. An assumption I fainted would be understandable. Or that the midget-man attacked me. Honestly, Caring at that point wasn't possible, for I lay sprawled out, face down on the dirty ground of the garden. Just me, a plain girl, with two not-so-plain men...

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Done with Chapter two! Please Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brought in Kurama! And Hiei! Yay! Next Chapter soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters.**

I woke up where I had collapsed: on the ground in the garden. It was still sunny, so it hadn't been long, but the men were gone. Instead, my aunt stood a little ways away from me.

"Roses," She mumbled, "Are so precious. They're like porcelain, fragile, and so beautiful."

Her words meant near nothing to me, but the tears streaming down her face stopped my heart.

"Aunt Lila, what happened?" I asked, clambering to my feet. My unsteady legs wobbled as I walked over to her.

She smiled sadly.

"I knew the blood had to come back into the line somewhere. I just hoped, it'd be me, I guess." She was whispering, stroking my hair.

"But roses, sometimes, and not a lot of people know this Nat, but they don't always grow back in the same place. Sometimes, a clipped rose, just stays clipped."

I shrugged. I didn't know what she meant. It was all lunacy to me, and I wasn't about to delve into what Aunt Lilac was thinking. She was so scary, I was afraid.

"I was a clipped rose, broken from the bloodline. But you, little imp, you were not."

Her eyes flashed darkly with these words.

"I don't understand," I whimpered, stepping away from her.

She gripped my hair with a frightening fist.

"Your mother never told you. That man, today, in the garden, he didn't tell you. Girl, he was a demon. And that, in you, woke up your blood. I can feel demons; sense them, for I am not completely clipped. But you, you get to walk with them, feel them. You get to be one of them."

I Kept trying to relieve my hair of her hand throughout her speech, but to no avail. By now, my enormous aunt was holding me up off the ground.

"So I wonder, what could your gift be? Your grandfather had so many gifts to give, being so powerful and all. Your mother, she can bend time. She tell you that? Nothing really extreme, but she's still better then the likes of me. I bet you can fly, little witch, really high. Or that flower demon of yours, maybe you're like him. But you look like no kitsune I've ever seen. I do know that we'll find out though, I'm not stupid. I know how to reveal a power. Jus threaten your life, litte girl, that's it."

She proceeded to drag me to the house. Inside, my mom screamed at her to stop, but Lila simply pushed her aside and said "come along sister. Time to reveal your wtch."

She dragged me to the basemt, and dropped me on the dirt floor. It soaked instantly into my nostrils, filling me with dread.

"Ok, dear Madge, throw me a knife." My mom obeyed lila's command.

Carefully, Lil lowered the blade to my chest, and cut, a deep gash\ between my breasts. I screamed the loudest scream I ever had through all the beatings. It wasn't a painful cry though, but an angry one. So much anger welled within me. More then I had ever had for my father, or for my own self. And this anger, It smelled like roses.

Around me, the room spun. My mother held up her hands, and the spinning slowed, but that only allowed me a clearer shot at my aunt.

A shot?

I threw my arm towards her, blood from my gaping chest spilling out with it, and she flew back.

I stepped closer.

"Bitch," I spat, my pale, petit frame casting a shadow over her completely opposite one. " I hope this hurts."

I stuck my hand up to her chest, feeling her heart beat between my fingers.

"Later, Lila."

From between my fingers, between the knuckles, slid rose petals. But these rose petals, they were not soft, beautiful things, they were as deep red and deadly as the blood they spilt.

My aunt collapsed, each piece of her sliding down to the ground. With my rose petals, I had separated each part of her, into a pile on the floor.  
I threw up.

Then I ran.

XXX

Once I hit the outside, I didn't stop running. Not until I landed myself back into the garden, right next to the little bud from before. Difference was, today it had bloomed, and so had I.

"Sorry," I mumbled to the house that was staring at the bud and me.

"Don't be," a voice replied, and I knew it to be the Fox man again.

I turned to him, and his eyes grew sad. He reached out, and touched my still gaping chest.

"Oh my!" I yelped, realizing that I had forgotten completely about the hole, and my now free breasts.

He smiled, but still his eyes stayed sad.

"I can help," He said, wiping my blood unto his clothes.

I nodded.

"Yeah, I can't exactly go home. I just grated my aunt."

He laughed a little at this, and then shook his head.

"I should have told you earlier, but my only true objective was to plant the seed of growth in you. And I did. It aged your powers quickly. And don't worry, you'll be fine."

I was so confused, then touched the place where I'd been struck by the short man. Or had I been the Fox?

Either way, a small, abnormal bump was protruding from the patch of skin. I shivered.

"Ok," I muttered, "Cool."

He reached down and took my hand.

"Blue eyes," He said, not really looking at me. "And brown hair. Just like your father."

"Yeah," I agreed, "But Now I'm having trouble believing I am anything like him"

The Fox laughed, and led me away from the house.

"Follow," He commanded, and I didn't think for a second to disobey.

~May


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu yu hakusho or any of it's characters

The fox had in mind no short walk for us. I trudged behind his tall form, bleeding and sweating and once stopping to throw up. Heat was never my best friend, and today it was rediculous. I didn't think at all to ask to stop though, and he never offered. The only sign that he even remembered I was there was the occasional glance at my still oozing chest. I had attempted to bandage it with my destroyed shirt, but to no avail, so i let it bleed. The fox didn't seem too worried so i assumed I shouldn't be, either. I figured it like this; he hadn't killed me, but my family had tried. I might as well follow him. And follow him i did.

We walked for what felt like close to two hours before I finally had to stop. I collapsed, my knees buckeling under the weight of all my pain, and slid into the dirt of the path we'd been following. It ground into my wound, and I cried out. The Fox turned.

"We can't rest Natalie," He said, not without a little sadness, "We don't have time."

I looked up at him, feeling the color slip from my face, and begged, "please, I have to!"

He shook his head and leaned over me. Helping me to my feet, he stood me upright.

"forward," He commanded, but didn't let me go. I obeyed.

I clung to him like a life raft, pulling myself along the path. Poor fox, I must have been heavy. Near-dead weight.

"Sorry," i chocked out, but he just shrugged, and kept on. I heard voices growing near us, and prayed they were good voices. Prayed they could help Fox carry me, and help the blood stop flowing down my front.

"yeah, I don't know what's up with him," an annoying voice said, as we grew closer to forms that were blurring before my eyes.

"Either of 'em," The voice added, hesitantly. "Hiei left with him. They doing a mission we don't know about?"

Another voice said, "I dunno."

The forms grew even more so close, and then Idissapeered all together as I met the Fox's chest with my face. I gasped as his clothing brushed my wound, and the voices became frenzied.

"what the Hell Kurama? Who is this?" One person yelled, and the Fox answered him with a tired voice.

"Her name is Natalie, and I'm afraid she's dying."

The voices went silent, and i felt the ground come to a standstill under my swimming head. I looked up into the sky spinning around me, falling down across my face. Was that rain? No, those drops of liquid cooling my skin, those were my tears. And the pain in my chest, growing more and more overwhelming on the ground, was my failing heart. I cried out, begging one of the voices to stop everything, make the dying stop. But the Fox hushed me, saying, near silently, or was he screaming? Either way, he wa telling me just to calm down, everything was ok. Everything was ok. He said I was dying, but that was ok.

No, that wasn't!

i tried to focus my eyes, but I couldn't so I just cried out.

"I am not going to let you let me die damn it!"

The voices hushed, and the fox's voice entered my ears.

"there's nothing we can do. You've got to die Natalie."

I shook my head, feeling as if my brains were spilling out with my tears.

I couldn't die.

"What are you talking about?" I gasped, as a pain shot up from my chest.

"This was supposed to happen. It will release your abilities Natalie."

The Fox bent over me, stroking my cheek. When he came into view, I calmed a little.

I took a breath.

"I don't want to," I whispered, feelig the pressure in my throat throw up blood.

"I'm not ready."

I layed there for what seemed like forever, the Fox starig down at me.

The first thing to go was my sight, one eye at a time. My vision became crooked, barely holding him in my sight. Then my hearing slipped away. It slid out and up into the sky, leaving me in dark silence.

Then, I knew I was touching death.

It slid from my feet, numb extensions of myself, and up my body. When it touched my chest, I choked up every ounce of blood caking inside my throat, and heaved one last breath. then i let that slip out, and away, ravaged and tired, into the outside air.

I don't know wether it was day or night, warm or cold, loud or quiet when I died. I just know that I died.

So goodbye world, and hello, whatever was next.

Here comes Natalie, be prepared.

~May


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own yu yu hakusho or any of it's characters

Death. I can't tell you how it feels, except for darkness, for I was only touching it a second. As soon as I left my body, I was thrust back into it, like a bullet into the flesh of a deer, and I burst with life.

"Shit!" I gasped, sitting up quickly from the ground where I lay. The Fox was still near me, his hand still lingering near where it'd been when I'd passed.

"That was horrible!" I screamed, facing him with frustrated eyes. I could still feel the wound in my chest, but now it was nothing more than an itching, biting feeling.

He shrugged.

"It was necessary," He said, and stood up. I sighed, exasperated, and held my hand out to him.

"I'm ready to get up," I spat.

I felt vicious, raw, power-filled and so damn hungry. This was new, I hadn't felt in anyway strong since my dad got physical, and I chopped my aunt. That didn't compare to this power, though. This power, this feeling of complete and utter, well, bitchy pissed-offness, was amazing. But it also felt foreign, like I was being mean. I decided to tone it down a little. I'd ask later why it'd changed.

"So, I died?" I asked, touching the wound that still donned my chest. It was healing rapidly, closing the skin.

The boys all nodded. Each of them wore an expression of slight amusement, slight disgust, or absolute horror. I decided that none of those looks I particularly liked.

I combed my brown hair away from the wound and tied it atop my head.

"So, I'm what now, a, um, a, demon?" I asked a little modestly. With that question came, too, the question of how I was still here, why I'd died, and how long I had left. What was I?

Kurama answered quietly, "Yes."

I closed my eyes.

Demons. So Fox had to be a demon, there was no doubt there. What'd my aunt say? Kitsune?

"Kitsune?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

Kurama shook his head.

"No, you're all together what you are." He replied.

I hated him for the vague answer.

"So your saying-" I began, but was cut off by a slick- haired, cocky looking teenager, and his loud, obnoxious voice.

"That she's a demon you don't know?"

I wanted to hit the boy, but refrained, it was a good question.

"I knew her grandfather, or of him. A powerful demon, strong and skilled in many things. He was talented with the gift of stealing abilities. Usually, if you steal an ability, it is never truly yours. But he had a way of pushing those stolen into his genetic make up, and passed them to his children. And obviously, his grandchildren. So, Natalie, what can you do?"

They all turned to face me, and I shrugged.

"Cut people with roses?" I replied, blushing a little.

All eyes turned to Kurama.

"You can do that, too, Kurama," A tall, orange haired boy said, scratching the side of his face.

Kurama nodded.

"How so Natalie?" He questioned.

I showed him the little slits between my knuckles.

"Like Wolverine, but, like, _girly_," I mumbled, looking at my hands. "But not blades, well, more like disks. Sharp ones."

Kurama nodded. "We'll explore further," He turned to the slick haired boy, "The portal ready?"

The boy nodded, and led us over a little ways. And there it was, exactly what you'd figure a portal to be, round and shimmering and swirling slightly. I followed them through, not hesitating in the least. On the other side, it was a house, and it was quiet.

"Your home, Natalie," Kurama said, and led me to a bathroom. He pulled a towel from a shelf, and pointed to the tub.

'Cold is hot, hot is cold," He said, laughing a little, then walked out, and I locked the door behind him. Oh sweet quiet. I stripped, well, shed what was left of my clothes, and started the water. It started out freezing, and I scowled, and then remembered what he'd said. I switched the knobs, and the water become near boiling hot.

"Ah," I sighed, sliding into the hot water, "This is bliss." It pooled around me, causing goose bumps to erupt on my skin, and I shivered in pure delight. My body, though showing signs of healing, looked foreign to me. It was longer then I'd remembered, and the gash between my supple breasts made it look like somebody else's all together. I wasn't skinny, never was. I was built like a midget, in my opinion, tiny and cute. I'd never change it, if I could help it. Now, I could compare myself more to a dwarf, strong and scarred and battle-worn.

"Wow," I said out loud, clearing any thoughts about my body. I attempted to climb out of the tub, slipping across the porcelain. It was cool, and felt startling against the heat from my skin. I gasped, and dove for my towel. It fluttered against me, and I emerged from the bathroom, successfully clean.

"Ah, hello," came the smooth, velvety voice of Kurama. I turned to him, a smile playing gently on my features.

"Was the bath nice?" He asked. I nodded, covering myself as well as I could with my towel.

"It was," I mumbled, hiding the embarrassment I felt behind a clear wall. "It was really nice."

He nodded, and held out a few articles of clothing.

"I'm afraid you're in a house of men, so this is all we have right now." His voice was tinged with amusement at my appalled face. I wonder whose clothes they were.

I took them politely, and went back into the bathroom to dress. The clothes, barely fit me. I tore a strip from the pants to bind my breasts, and that helped a little, but they still nearly fell off of me. I scrubbed my panties in the sink and wore them but left my shoes on the floor. They were ruined.

When I emerged again, Kurama smiled in obvious amusement.

"Looks good," He said, tugging at the baggy sleeves. I was in a large boy's T-shirt and very, very large boy's pants. I was gangsta.

"So," I began, attempting to turn the subject from my clothes, "Where is this?"

Kurama shrugged, and answered nonchalantly, "Nowhere."

I sighed. I wasn't particularly liking this man, except for his looks. He was so tall, and so, wild looking. Like an animal.

_Duh, _I reminded myself, _He's a Fox._

I reached up, before I could stop myself, and touched one of his ears.

"Hmmm," I said, petting it with my slender fingers, "Cool."

Kurama pulled away slowly, and his yellow eyes flashed.

"Careful," He warned, and his slight smile seemed, if I was right, a little sexual.

"Tell me," I whispered, coming close to him, "What are you?"

"A thief," He replied simply and turned away from me.

"Food?" He questioned.

My stomach rumbled in agreement.

"I knew it," He said, and took my hand. "You'll like it here, Natalie, Your father said you would."

_REVIEW please!_

_~May _


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters.

I tried not to think of what Kurama said as I ate the food he'd prepared, but I couldn't help but feel a little scared. It wasn't scared like the scared you are in a horror movie, but pure _fear. _ My father. He'd talked to him? He worked with him? These questions had obvious answers, but I didn't want to think about them. Slowly, I slid a piece of bacon into my mouth and watched the fox move one into his own.

"It's good," I mumbled, eyeing his face as he replied with a nod.

"Yes, I suppose it is," He said, and placed another piece delicately on his tongue. I sneered at his slight attitude, and then reminded myself that you really do catch more flies with honey.

"Thanks," I said, continuing my watch of his face. He didn't shift his gaze from the paper which he was now reading. On the back of said paper, was a picture of me, smiling from ear to ear. A caption under the picture revealed, "Natalie Taint: WANTED for the murder of her aunt. Dangerous!"

I stared at it for a second, relaying possible ways the attack could've leaked to public, then settled on my aunt Loraine. She never spoke, except to tattle. It was definitely her. I sighed, and put down my fork.

"So what if they catch me?" I asked Kurama, who shrugged and continued reading. "Ok then, fine. How do you know my Father?" I hadn't planned to ask the question, but some things just slip out.

"He's a good friend of mine, " Kurama replied, then peered over the paper to take in my reaction.

"He is?" I asked, preparing myself to stand up and leave. I'd already put a lot of trust into the people, and I didn't want it to be a mistake. I'd leave if I had to.

"Yes. We hav tea every Wednesday." He replied sarcastically the said, "No! I just received a letter a few days before we came to you. It was a warning, telling us to retrieve you out of the care of your mother and her family or he was going to kill them all. Then, at the bottom, he wrote an address, telling me to move you into this house. He claimed we could change the locks, he had no wrong intentions."

"And, you believed him?" I sputtered, incredulously.

"No, of course not," Kurama said, then added, "But my boss required it be done as commanded. So we followed your father's orders, and spied on you for a while before making our move. Then we sent Botan, who you'll meet soon, to set up this house. She followed what your Father said, and obviously he was right. You like it, do you not?"

"So I was used as ransom?" I spat, shoving my plate at him. I wasn't sure if the term was right, but wasn't too concerned that I didn't get my point across.

"In a way. We saved many lives, by just removing you from a situation. Would it have been worth them all dying by not obeying your father?" Kurama finished with a question that I had no answer for. Of course I agreed with their method, but how was it fair that I had to be the bait?

"Is he going to come here?" I whispered, looking around the room then back at the fax infront of me.

"He didn't say anything about it," Kurama replied, "The last sentence of the letter was, 'Keep her comfortable.' We assumed that we just keep you here."

I nodded, and then stood up. "I think I want to go to bed. I feel really tired now."

Kurama gave into my wanting, and led me to a bedroom with two beds in it.

"We all have to double up rooms right now. There are quite a few people living here right now. You'll meet them soon. You're sharing a room with Hiei," Kurama said, and I cut him off before he could really finish.

"Hiei? A guy?" I asked, my voice raising a couple octaves.

"He's never here," Kurama replied, and began backing out of the room. "Goodnight," He said, and then closed the wooden door. It closed with a _click! _Then all was silent.

I climbed into the bed, and let sleep overcome me.

XXX

The next morning, I woke up on the floor. Blankets were swirled around me, and my feet were lodged beneath the bed frame.

'Damn," I cursed, untangling myself from the nest of blankets I'd created, and crawled to the small bedroom's door.

I turned the knob and stood up once I reached the hallway.

"Good morning!"A tall blue haired girl cried as I stumbled out in front of her. "You must be _her! _You're Natalie!" She grabbed my hand and yanked me into a powerful hug then whispered into my ear, "I'm Botan."

"Hi there Botan," I replied, pulling away from her and smoothing my hair. "It's great to meet you."

The girl smiled a big smile, and then hurried away from me. "There's more than one of you here!"She cried as she hurried down to the lower level of the house. I was confused at that, but remembered that Kurama had warned me of the many other people. It shouldn't have surprised me.

Carefully, I descended down to the kitchen, where I found a large group of people surrounding the table. It was close to ten people, each brightly dressed and laughing at a joke.

"Hey!"The slick haired boy from earlier called once I entered, "Good morning!"

He then proceeded to stand up and introduce everyone around the table.

"This is Botan," He said, pointing to the blue haired girl I'd met earlier. She waved brightly and the boy continued.

"This is Mason, He's new," The boy said, pointing now to a small blonde boy whose mousy face made him look like a cartoon character. The boy looked at me once, and then turned away.

"This is Hiei," He continued, and a black-haired boy glared at me, his red eyes shining with slight anger.

"Ok," I said, and the boy laughed before moving to the next person.

"This is Kurama, as you know," He said, and Kurama smiled at me, and I smiled back, and then sneered as he pointed towards his hair, telling me in gestures to fix mine.

"This is Shelly, another new one," The boy pointed at a blonde girl who looked almost exactly like Mason. The little girl stared at me with huge blue eyes, and then smiled, revealing rows and rows of sharp, pointed teeth.

"Nice to meet you," I mumbled.

"This is Kuwabara," The black-haired boy said quickly, taking my attention from Shelly. An Orange haired boy looked up at me with a stupid face on, and I shook my head, shooting down his hopeful gaze.

"And this is the Beautiful Keiko!"The boy exclaimed, pointing to the last person before him at the table. I realized the boy was saying that to keep the brunette girl on his good side. I smiled at her, and her innocent face mirrored mine.

"And this is Yusuke," Keiko said, Pointing at the boy who'd introduced them all, "And we're engaged."

I smiled at Yusuke, who gave me a big thumbs up.

"Alright," I said, straightening up and finding a chair (Obviously mine because it was the only open one,) next to Kurama.

"Nice to meet all of you!" I exclaimed as I seated myself. Kurama handed me a cup of what looked like coffee and I joined their conversation.

"So now that everyone knows everyone," Yusuke began, "We can all know what the hell is going on. Ok Kurama, your turn."

Kurama leaned over the table, and everyone copied him, ready to listen in.

"So, you all have met Natalie now. Welcome to Rice Lane, and to the last house on the left. Each one of us was commanded to be here by Koenma, and Mason and Shelly, by the Spirit King himself. We're here to train, and to keep Natalie safe, and await her Father's word. He's a loose cannon, and until we know his next move, we're to stay here. "Once Kurama finished his slow and thoughtful speech, each person began talking to another. It was a bit of confusion at first, but boiled down to room choices and shower shifts. I carefully avoided being included in any conversation, and once they all stopped, I turned to Hiei.

"You're sleeping with me," I said, and the room went silent. I quickly turned red then said, "I mean in the same room!" Everyone laughed, including Kurama, and my red face became closer to purple.

"Fine then!" I yelled, and laughed also. "Hiei, if you really want to, I will sleep with you." Then I wished I hadn't said it. It was the audacious side that had arrived soon after the transformation coming out. And everyone got a taste of it.

"Oh wow," Kurama said and looked at Hiei. The Black haired boy glared at me and stood up, shoving his chair out to make an exit.

I smiled sheepishly. "I didn't mean it," I whispered, and everyone at the table accepted that.

"Well then!"Yusuke said, clearing the awkward silence, "If anyone else is up to it, I want to go outside!"

One by one we excitedly followed the boy outside, and the sunny day began.

~May

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